Fireproof grain bin and floor.



No. 68|,503. Patentad Aug. 27, 19N.

0. HOFF.

FIBERFIUOF GRAIN BIN AND FLOOR.

(Application filed Apr. 29, 1901.)

44 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

l Inl Inval .rfi Ilrllrll Il!! nllnnnanll No. 68|,503. Patented Aug. 27, I90I. 0. HQFF.

FIBEPBOOF GRAIN BIN AND FLOOR.

(Application 81nd. Apr. 2B, 1901.) (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet .2.

. :v7.1 lanni.

MM2 y CUI/Mm WM@ :I: 11551:.. :22W :ufhrl .......,.:...:.....H,|.\.HW k WN No. 68l,503. Patented Aug. 27, |901.

0. HOFF.

FIBEPRUUF GRAIN BIN AND FLOOR.

Anuman mea Apx. 29. 1901.1

4 Sheets-Shet 3.

(No Model.)

N0. 68I,503. Patented Aug. 27, 190|.

0. HOFF.

FIREPBUOF GRAIN BIN AND FLUGB.

(Applicatinn led Apr. 29, 1901.)

4 Sheeis-i-Sheet 4.

(No Nudel.)

IIl

UNITED STATES PATENT f OEEICE.

OLAF HOFF, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

FIREPROOF GRAIN BIN AND FLOOR.

I SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 681,503, dated August 27, 1901.

Application iiled April 29, 1901. Serial No. 57,872. (No model.)

To all whims it may concern.:

Be it known that I, OLAF HOFF, a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin an'd State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fireproof Grain Bins and Floors 3 and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My present invention is especially directed to the improvement of iireproof composite grain-storage bins, but relates generally to the improvement of concrete composition walls or iioors.

The objects of my invention are to obtain the maximum of strength at a minimum of expense; further, to provide a system of bin construction in which the walls of all of the bins are interwoven or tied together, and, further, in which the walls will sustain equal strains under pressure in either direction.

Several forms of my invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings,where in like characters indicate like parts th roughout the several views.

Figure 1 is a horizontal section showing one of a series of connected bins constructed in accordance with my invention, some parts being broken away. Fig. 2 is a view corresponding to Fig. 1, but illustrating a construction intended for very large bins. Fig. 3 is a view in horizontal section, showing a portion of a bin constructed in accordance with my invention varying somewhat in detail from that shown in Fig. 2, some parts being broken away and large portions of the concrete walls being removed. Fig. 4 is a detail view in horizontal section, some parts being broken away and parts of the concrete walls being removed, showing a corner portion of a bin of slightly-modified construction. Fig. 5 is a detail view of a portion of one of the corner-columns, taken on the line 035005 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a horizontal section showing one of a series of hexagonal bins constructed in accordance with my invention, some parts being broken away and others removed. Fig. 7is a transverse section on the line as? of Fig. 6.

Attention is first directed to Fig. 1, wherebe here stated that the columns 2 used in the constructions illustrated in Figs. 1 and4 are y identical. Embedded in the intermediate portions of the walls 1 arereinforcing col-` umns or beams 5, shown in the form of I- beams, and which, as will presently be noted,

serve as struts or spacers for the bindingwires. The bin illustrated in Fig. 1 is of a construction which would be desired for comparatively small bins of approximately the size of iifteen feet square. wires are designated by the numerals 6 and 7. The wires 6 embrace or are Wound about the columns 2 and are crossed at their .intermediate portions and run on opposite sides of the intermediate beams 5. 'The crossed wires 6 thus form a double truss which will resist equally lateral strains on the wall in either direction. Furthermore, both wires or strands reinforce the central portion of the wall between the beams 5, and thus give the' greatest strength to the Wall at its intermediate portion. As is evident, the greatest strains are applied to the intermediate portions of the walls and on account of the leverage at such points are there the most likely to be broken. The reinforcing-wires 7 are extended parallel through the walls 1 and embrace the corner-columns 2 and the intermediate beams or columns 5. The wires 6 and 7 may be looped around adjacent cornercolumns 2 and their ends secured, or they may be extended, so as to form successive loops embracing all of the corner-columns of a particular bin or to embrace the corner-columns of several connected bins.

The construction illustrated in Fig. 2 is very similar in many respects to the construction illustrated in Fig.' 1, butvaries in some respects in details which adapt it to form large bins-say thirty feet square. In this construction the corner-columns 2 are shown as formed of channel-beams, secured edge to edge, and the intermediate reinforcing or The wall-binding v IOO spacing columns 5 are in the form of channel-beams. Also a larger number of intermediate columns or beams 5 are used in this modification and the upright beams or co1- umns 5, which extend through the central portion of the Walls, are directly connected by tie-rods 8. The downward-sagging strain on a large number of the tie-rods 8, especially when grain is falling thereon, Will pull inward to a considerable extent. To prevent this, the said rods 8 are passed through a central vertical support conveniently aiorded by an angle-iron 9.

The construction illustrated in Fig. 3 is similar to that illustrated in Fig. 2 but in this construction the corner-columns 2 are in the form of metal tubes and the intermediate or reinforcing columns 5 are in the form of I- beams, the same as in the construction illustrated in4 Fig. l. The central beams 5 are in this arrangement connected by diagonal tierods l0.

The construction illustrated in Fig. 4 is the same as that illustrated in Fig. l with the addition oi' diagonally-extended tie-rods 1l, which connect the diagonally adjacent I- beams 5.

In Fig. 6 the construction of hectagonal bins is shown. The corner-columns 2 are of tubular form as in the construction illustrated in Fig. 3, and the binding-wires '7 are dispensed with. The truss-forming wires are looped around the columns 2 and at their intermediate portions instead of being spaced by intermediate columns or beams are simply spaced by struts or spacing-blocks l2. (Shown in detail in Fig. 7.)

It will of course be understood that my invention above disclosed is capable of many modifications other than those above noted.

What Iclaim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is as follows:

l. A fireproof bin or inclosure having concrete Walls, and corner-columns and binding- Wires embedded in said Walls,which Wires are stretched from column to column, to more than their normal lengths, but to less than the limit of their elasticity, substantially as described.

2. A fireproof bin or inclosure having Walls of concrete and corner-colums and binding- Wires embedded in the said Wall, -which Wires embrace said columns, and are stretched to more than their normal lengths, but to less than the limit of their elasticity, substantially as described.

3. A iireproof bin or inclosure having Walls of concrete, corner-columns and bindingwires embedded in said Walls, intermediate struts or wire-spacing devices also embedded in said Walls, which binding-Wires are crossed and embrace said struts, and are stretched to more than their normal lengths, but to less than the limit of their elasticity, substantially as described.

4. A fireproof bin or inclosu re having Walls of concrete, corner and intermediate columns embedded in said Walls, and binding-wires also embedded in said walls, embracing said corner-columns, and crossed to form a dou ble truss embracing said intermediate columns, substantially as described.

5. A grain bin or inclosure having concrete Walls, corner-col umns embedded in said Walls, suitable struts or spacing devices embedded in the intermediate portions of said Walls, the Wires 6 and 7 embedded in said Walls and embracing said corner-columns and struts, which Wires 6 are crossed to form a doubleacting truss, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

OLAF HOFF. Witnessesz ANNE S. READ, F. D. MERCHANT. 

